Fan base



Aug 9, 1932. J. LANZ wmm FAN BASE Original Filed Jan. 28, 1927 Original application med January 28, 1927, Serial No. 164,387. Divided and Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN LANZ, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To THE A. C. GILBERT COMPANY, 01' NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND rm BASE this application filed January 13, 1928. Serial No. 246,591.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved form of standard or support for electrical devices, such as fans, or the like.

Another object of this invention is to pro vide a hollow support for such a purpose of a construction which will be comparatively light in weight and be adapted to receive the operable parts of an electrical switch or rheo-' stat.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a support, with means to close the opening formed therein at the base thereof, in combination with improved means to re tain the closure means in place.

A further object of this invention is to provide means to retain a closure member in operative position over the opening in a hollow support for electrical which will be adapted to means for said support. I

To these and other ends, the invention con-- sists in the novel features and combinations act as antislipping of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In "the accompanying drawin Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a fan base or standard, embodying the features of my invention; I

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same, Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and I Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

The device which I have selected to illustrate and describe as a preferred embodiment of my invention, comprises a hollow standard 10, adapted to support a fan or other electrical apparatus, the standard being closed at the bottom by means of a plate of sheet metal or the like 11. At its lower edge,

devices or the like,

the standard is provided with a horizontally extending peripheral flange 12, which is provided with perforations suitably spaced about the same, and in this instance, adapted to register with corresponding perforations 13 in the base plate 11. The base plate 11 may be conveniently connected to the standar by bushings or the like 14:, passed through these perforations, and having expanded upper and lower ends 15 and 16 to engage over the material of the plate and flange surrounding the perforations. These bushings or plugs 14 may be conveniently formed 6r some soft and pliable material, such as rubber, so that they may be molded in permanent form and thereafter be sufliciently compressed or distorted at one end so as to pass through the perforations, and thereafter expand to engage the edges of the openings to properly hold the parts together. in

this instance, the lower ends of these plugs or bushings also serve as'feet upon which the standard may rest. Due to the nature of the material of which they are made, they will not scratch the surface upon which the standard is laced and will also have a tendency to 0% vent any tendency of the standard to'move or walk when the electrical device mounted thereon is in operation. Due to their re siliency the headed bushings 14 will serve to clamp the base plate 11 tightly to the standard 10.

When the standard 10 is used to receive a rheostat or switch, as shown in the co pendin application above referred to, it is often esirable to cover the upper surface of the base plate 11 with a sheet or plate of insulating material 31. The sheet or plate 31 is disposed between the peripheral edge surface of the plate 11 and the horizontally extending flange 12 of the standard 10, and

.is clamped therebetween by means of the ng to such surface and preperipherally about the base and has its peripheral edge turned downwardly as at 25, to form an internal annular shoulder 26. The plate or sheet 31 rests upon the under surface of the flange 12, and is peripherally enclosed by the annular shoulder 26, while means comprising the plate 11 and the resllient headed bushings or eyelets 14, retain the part 31 in place. The peripheral edge of plate 11, in this instance, is also enclosed by the annular shoulder 26, whereby the plates 11 and 31 are disposed above the bottom edge of the base 10. g

The upper and lower ends 15 and 16 of the bushings 14, with the body portion thereof forming what may be termed resilient eyelets, the aforementioned ends being the heads thereof, and the body portion being the interconnecting tubular part between these heads. These headed tubular parts or eyelets, due to the resiliency of the material of which they are preferably made, exert a constant pressure upon the adjacent part of plate 11 and the flange 12 to clamp the sheet or plate 31 against the flange. The lower head 16' of each eyelet or bushing 14: forms a foot for the base, and being preferably made of soft and pliable material, provides anti-slippin means for the base.

The switch or rheostat illustrated in this application is of the structure and is mounted Within the hollow standard 10, in the manner as described in detail in the co-pending application referred to above. Generally, the switch base 18 comprises a block of insulating material upon which is pivotally mounted a switch lever 20, having a manipulating handle 21. Suitable contacts are provided upon the base 18, in position to be engaged by the switch lever 20.

Mounted upon theupper surface of the switch base is a coil of resistance wire 37 spirally wound upon a spool-shaped holder 38. The coil of wire 37 may be electrically connected to the contacts by the lever 20 and to the electrical device supported by the standard by connection with wires 43, 14: and 45, as desired. By manipulation of the lever 20, the electrical device supported by the,

standard may be directly connected to the power wires 44 and 45, or be disposed in circuit with a resistance coil 37, to control the device, as described in detail in the above mentioned co-pending application.

It will be apparent that; I have provided a hollow standard for an electrical device, having provision for housing a switch or rheostat, with improved means for securing a plateor sheet of material to the bottom of the standard to cover the opening therein, and that this means preferably comprises resilient headed eyelets or bushings which act upon a member, in this instance, another plate, to clamp the opening covering plate or sheet of material in operative position.

Aside from this novel use the improved meansalso serves as feet for the standard, as has already been described.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood'that it is not tobe limited to all the details shown, but is capable of modi- I ing into/engagement with the edges of theperforations to detachably secure the base plate and standard together when said members are inserted into the aforesaid register- 7 ing perforations and disposed with a head portion resting upon oppositely directed surfaces of said standard and plate.

2. In a support for an electrical device, a supporting standard, a base plate'to which the standard is adapted to be secured, said plate and standard having registering perforations formed therein, and compressible members having a head portion at each end thereof inserted through said perforations, the heads of said members expanding into engagement with the edges of the perforations to detachably secure the base plate and standard together when said members are inserted into the aforesaid registering perforations and disposed with a head portion resting upon oppositely directed surfaces of said standard and plate, the heads on the lower ends of said-members forming feet to resiliently support the device.

3. In combination, a base member, a cover member for said base member, said members having registering openings therein, a securing member of rubber-like material having a body portion, and a head portion at each end of said body portion disposed in said registering openings, with the body portion thereof in said opening, and the headed portions thereof respectively extending over oppositely directed surfaces of said base and cover member, whereby the inherent resiliency of the rubber-like material of said securing member will draw the head portions together to engage said base and cover members and retain them together, said head portions being hollow to permit ready compression thereof and thereby facilitate inserting them through the registering openings.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of January, 1928.

JOHN LANZ. 

